


Freezerburn Week 2017

by MakaS0ul



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Freezerburn - Freeform, Freezerburn Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-02 06:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12721671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MakaS0ul/pseuds/MakaS0ul
Summary: A collection of Freezerburn Week 2017 works.





	1. Summer’s Night, Winter’s Morning

**Author's Note:**

> I am going to be buried in work this week (shoutout to all my professors for scheduling a bunch of stuff in the same week), but I had to write something for my dearest OTP. So here it is, my day one ficlet thingy.
> 
> Note: Summer’s Night takes place around Volume 2, and Winter’s Morning takes place after Salem’s eventual defeat and the restoration of order to the world (aka sometime in the future).
> 
> Shoutout to @freezerburn-week on tumblr for making this possible

_**Summer’s Night** _

Though Yang’s body temperature was higher than average –thanks in no small part to her semblance– and though she tended to literally burn when angered, she could still get hot, despite what people tended to believe. She’d had to inform more people than she’d like to admit that she was not impervious to fire, as lame as that was (she had Nora to thank for _that_ particular rumor).

That particular evening at Beacon was far hotter than average, even by her standards. Team RWBY had opened up their window as far as it would go, turning on as many fans as their circuit breakers would allow, and taking cold showers –anything to beat the unbearable heat.

Blake, one who typically enjoyed burrowing underneath as many blankets as she could, was sprawled out atop her mattress, her limbs spread apart to prevent heat from pooling anywhere. Ruby had moved the blankets that typically turned her bed into something like a blanket fort in favor of letting as much cool air in as possible.

Yang herself, despite the cold shower and everything else, hadn’t been able to fall asleep. She had tossed and turned atop her blankets, doing her best to will herself to sleep for hours with nothing to show for it but ruffled sheets and now-dry hair.

She puffed out a frustrated breath before leaning over the edge of her bed to peer at her girlfriend of 2 months.

Weiss looked rather comfortable despite the heat, breathing softly underneath her blankets; the usual furrow to her brow absent as she rested peacefully. The heiress’s body temperature usually ran cold, and it was likely thanks to that fact that she was able to sleep without difficulty despite the record-breaking temperatures.

Yang bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth. She was debating slipping into the smaller girl’s bed, but there were obvious risks. For one, waking Weiss prematurely meant that Yang could potentially be murdered in a sleepy fit of rage. There was also a chance that Weiss would give her a scolding so bad she’d hear it ringing in her ears for days. Still… she probably wasn’t going to get much sleep roasting alive atop her sheets, and though Weiss was hesitant with the physical aspect of their relationship, she wouldn’t likely have a problem with some harmless sleepy cuddles.

She made up her mind.

Yang carefully dropped from her bed, doing her absolute best to be quiet enough for Blake to sleep through her little escapade, and crept to Weiss’s bedside. She ducked underneath Ruby’s bunk and gently nudged the heiress, hoping that her girlfriend would be in a particularly good mood when she woke.

Weiss roused quickly, groaning and rubbing at her eyes before her gaze settled on the brawler. “Yang? What’s the matter?”

She hadn’t immediately bitten Yang’s head off, so she figured that was a good sign to go ahead with her plan. “So, I dunno if you’ve noticed, but it’s pretty hot in here.”

Weiss raised a brow, glancing around the room for a brief moment before returning her attention to her girlfriend. “I suppose it is warmer than usual. What of it?”

“You’re not hot though, right?” Yang asked, shifting her weight side to side.

This time, the heiress’s brow furrowed. “No… I’m not…” In the dim lighting brought out by the shattered moon, Yang could see Weiss squint suspiciously. “…Why?”

“Weeeeell…” Yang began, drawing out the vowel, “I was wondering if I could sleep with you.”

Weiss blinked before her face flushed the color of Pyrrha’s hair. “ _Sleep with me?!_ ”

Yang, too, blinked before her face lit up with understanding. “No, no, no! Not like that,” she whispered hurriedly. “I meant, like, in your bed _with_ you! I mean, I’m totally cool with it if you wanna go that way, but I really meant sleeping in the same bed.”

The seething look on her girlfriend’s face told Yang that Weiss most definitely didn’t want to do the latter, and that she was quickly and effectively destroying her chances at the former. She backpedaled.

“Can I sleep next to you, Princess? I’m baking up in my bed and you’re always cool as a cucumber, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask if you could share some of that with me.” She settled for honesty, laying her cards on the table and hoping that at the very least, she wouldn’t end up tossed out the window.

Weiss said nothing for a moment, seemingly rolling the request around in her mind before sighing. She scooted closer to the wall and lifted the sheets. “Get in,” she said with a look that told Yang that no messing around would be tolerated.

With a grin, Yang did as she was told, making sure to stick close to the heiress, who seemed to flush at the contact. She went to pull Weiss closer but hesitated, her arm hovering just above the smaller girl’s waist.

“Is it ok?” she whispered, her lips brushing against Weiss’s steadily-reddening ear.

She received only a minute nod, and with a soft kiss to the shell of the heiress’s ear, she wrapped her arms around Weiss, pulling her into her gently and tucking snowy locks beneath her chin.

The effects were nearly immediate, and Yang sighed as she felt the cool temperature of Weiss’s skin cut right through her own searing heat. It was bliss as they snuggled into each other, enjoying the equilibrium they reached. Weiss laid a hand over the calloused one that rested on her stomach, nearly humming as that same hand’s fingers rubbed gentle circles, soothing her far more than any lullaby ever could.

With quiet whispers of goodnight, exchanged with a soft kiss, Weiss drifted back off to sleep. Yang pressed a final kiss to snowy locks before joining her girlfriend, enjoying her now cooler, and far more comfortable sleeping arrangements.

* * *

 

_**Winter’s Morning** _

Weiss woke up to the feeling of chilled sheets, an unusual event to be sure considering her hectic schedule tended to wake her before dawn and Yang’s penchant for sleeping in. Sure enough, when she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she noticed the spot next to her empty, devoid of the blonde that liked to snore her mornings away.

A quick glance at her scroll told her that it was a frosty morning in the dead of winter, and more notably, one of her few days off. She turned the device off without a second of hesitation; she’d managed to restore the Schnee Dust Company to much of its former glory after years of hard work, and she planned to celebrate with a day of doing absolutely nothing work-related –no scrolls or any other devices that could connect her to work in any way.

She was about to rise from the bed to find Yang before the door swung open, revealing the brawler herself holding a tray with a wide grin.

“Good morning, Princess! Sleep well?”

Weiss smiled. “Well enough. I had a rather nice dream from our school days.”

Yang raised a brow, setting the tray covered with pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon, and eggs onto Weiss’s lap carefully. “Really? What was it about?”

Weiss giggled as she cut into her eggs. “It was about that one particularly hot night at Beacon where you ended up climbing into my bed because you couldn’t sleep.”

Yang laughed. “Oh! I remember that night!” Her grin widened. “I also remember that we didn’t sleep apart much after that.”

Weiss nearly choked on the strawberry she had been chewing, her ears reddening even though it had been 5 years since that night.

“Awww! You’re still shy! That’s so cute, Weissy~!” Yang cooed, snatching a piece of bacon as she did so.

The smaller girl coughed. “Perhaps I am, but I don’t remember you complaining about the arrangement.”

“That’s true!” Yang’s grin settled into a fond smile as she watched Weiss eat her food with delighted hums. “I can’t complain about getting to be closer to the woman I love.”

Weiss felt heat rush to her cheeks, but she couldn’t fight the shy smile that settled on her features. “I can certainly say the same.”

Weiss enjoyed the rest of her meal as she and Yang traded memories, laughing at the antics of their Beacon days, sharing a tender smile at their reunion in Raven’s camp, and reflecting on Team RWBY’s fight to save the world. Though the memories of the harder times were still fresh, they were important parts of their shared history, and they would surely become memories that they could treasure.

When she had finished her delightful breakfast, Yang took the tray back to the kitchen before returning to their bedroom and settling on the side of the bed, tangling their fingers. “What’s the plan for today, Princess?”

Weiss hummed, pondering her options for only a moment before a chill suddenly wracked her body. “It’s rather cold today, and I don’t feel like leaving the bed just yet. Why don’t you join me?” she suggested with a smile.

“It _is_ pretty chilly,” Yang said with a grin. “I guess I better warm you up!”

The brawler climbed into her side of the bed, before she pulled Weiss into her, enjoying the familiar position. “How’s that? Comfy?”

Weiss burrowed into Yang, pressing a kiss to both her prosthetic and flesh hands. “Very. Your body temperature always comes in handy on these cold winter mornings.”

“Is that all I am to you? A space heater?” the brawler asked, feigning hurt.

Weiss turned then, making sure to keep herself locked in Yang’s embrace but also pulling back just enough to look the taller girl in the eye. “Of course not. You also happen to be the love of my life who has supported me at both my weakest, and my strongest. You give me the courage to be better, and showed me that even when things get difficult, I have the strength to move forward inside me. You are my inspiration, Sunspot.”

She brushed away the tears that had begun to fall from the brawler’s eyes with a soft giggle. “I love you, Yang. I grow to love you more and more each day, and I will never stop loving you through the good times and the hard times.”

Yang pulled her into a crushing hug, cradling the smaller girl’s head with her prosthetic. “I love you too, Weiss. You’ve done so much for me and helped me regain my confidence, even after I broke again. You’ve been there for me even when I felt like I was falling apart. You are my strength, Princess. I love you so much it feels like my heart will burst. I’ll love you with every breath until my very last.”

The two lay there, holding each other close as they whispered sweet nothings into the other’s ear, simply relishing the other’s presence. They had been through hell and back together, and it was quiet mornings like this that reminded them just how much they treasured each other, just how lucky they were to have each other. In the chill of winter’s morning, when the world was quiet with a fresh blanket of snow, there was only the two of them; two women in love.

Yang yawned long after the tears had dried. “I don’t know about you, but I could go for a nap right about now.”

Weiss pressed a kiss to the brawler’s cheek. “A nap sounds lovely.”

With a shared smile, the two curled into each other, pulling the blankets over them. Weiss hummed as Yang’s natural heat warmed her very soul, encompassing her in the familiar, comforting way that it had.

“Good morning, Princess,” Yang mumbled, pressing a kiss to the top of Weiss’s head.

“Good morning, Sunspot,” Weiss whispered, pressing a kiss of her own to the blonde’s collar.

Winter’s morning passed quietly, a mere whisper in the ears of the sleeping women. Perhaps there would be a blizzard tomorrow, but that was a worry for later. For now, a winter’s morning nap was the perfect thing.


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 Prompt: Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this is coming out waaaay later than I had planned but whatever. It’s out with time to spare, so I’m gonna call that a win! I’ll be honest, I kinda waffled about whether to write a “meet the family” kind of struggle, or a “we have kids domestic life” kinda thing. Hope y’all can enjoy the former!
> 
> @freezerburn-week Another thank-you to y’all for making this blessed week possible.

_**Family** _

The lights were off in the apartment when Yang returned home, and though she initially assumed that meant Weiss had gone out, she nearly yelped when she saw a small figure hunched over on the couch when the lights were flicked on.

She edged closer, finding the figure to be none other than Weiss, her girlfriend of 3 years. Their relationship hadn’t been anything remotely romantic during their time at Beacon, but being the only two members of Team RWBY to remain in close contact after graduation had sparked the flames of affection between them.

Taiyang had been accepting, of course, and welcomed Weiss into the family with open arms, more than happy to have “another daughter” as he had put it. The holidays had gotten a lot warmer for Weiss, and helped her to forget –even if it was only a little bit– about her own… tenuous family situation.

Yang hesitantly laid a hand on Weiss’s shoulder, though judging by how badly the girl jumped, it seemed she hadn’t noticed the blonde’s arrival. At the brief look of panic that flashed in the smaller girl’s eyes that melted into recognition, Yang gave her girlfriend’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Welcome back, Yang,” Weiss said, stretching up to press a kiss to the brawler’s cheek. “How was work?”

Yang returned the gesture with a kiss to Weiss’s forehead before smiling warmly. “Busy as usual, but it couldn’t end fast enough. I couldn’t stop thinking about tonight all day.”

Weiss mirrored the smile, urging Yang to sit next to her on the couch with a gentle tug to her prosthetic. “I had quite a bit of trouble focusing today as well. The anticipation proved to be a rather persistent distraction.”

It was only when Yang plopped down on the couch next to her girlfriend that she noticed Weiss had a death grip on her scroll, subtly hidden from view by her thigh. Sensing that something more than anticipation was a major factor in her distraction, Yang draped an arm over Weiss’s shoulder and pulled her close.

“What’s wrong, Weiss? I haven’t seen you this jittery in a long time, and I know it’s not just anticipation for our anniversary dinner,” she whispered, her lips brushing her girlfriend’s ear.

Weiss froze for a moment, but seemed to relax as Yang’s hands rubbed circles along her arms, and her steady, strong heartbeat drummed a calming rhythm in her ears. She brought her scroll to her chest, her fingers in a white-knuckle grip. “I… I was thinking of trying to–of telling Winter about…”

Yang couldn’t help her brows raising in surprise. “About us?”

When Weiss only nodded minutely, Yang pulled her closer, wrapping the now-shaking girl in her arms and rubbing comforting patterns across her back. “I’m fine with it, but we don’t have to if you’re not ready. We don’t _ever_ have to tell anyone from your family if you don’t feel comfortable. You know that right? I don’t want you to feel like you _have_ to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

“I know,” Weiss said, her voice wobbly with unshed tears. “I know, but… Winter is the one person in my family that I love, and I… I don’t want to hide who I am from her.”

Yang nodded. “I understand, but you know we don’t have to tell her tonight, right? We can wait as long as it takes until you’re ready.” She pressed a kiss to snowy locks. “It doesn’t have to be tonight.”

Weiss shook her head, pulling back enough to look Yang in the eye. “No, it has to be tonight. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to work up the courage again if we don’t do it now.” She leaned forward to rest her forehead against the brawler’s. “I would rather do it tonight, with you, with the proof that we have been inseparable for three years now, with the proof that we are in love.”

Yang closed the distance between their lips, unable to stop herself from smiling into the kiss. “With a speech like that, there’s no way Winter wouldn’t approve. And I’ll be here with you for every second of it. I love you, Weiss.”

Weiss kissed the brawler this time, tilting her head just a touch to pour more love into the contact. “I love you too, Yang,” she whispered as they pulled apart, stealing one last kiss before her mouth set in a determined line.

As Weiss unlocked her scroll, her finger hovering over the call button, Yang tangled their fingers together, squeezing gently in silent support, and providing Weiss with that last bit of courage she needed to press it.

The line was picked up after two rings.

“Hello, Winter. I… I have something important to tell you…”

* * *

 

That night, the two climbed into bed, their stomachs full with greasy pizza and ice cream, and smiles on their faces as they curled up together; they had to get some rest.

After all, they would have to get up quite early to make it in time for a celebratory brunch in Atlas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the ending’s pretty clear, but in case it wasn’t: things went well and Winter is going to treat them both to some fancy-ass brunch. (And give Yang the “break her heart and I’ll break you” talk)


	3. Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 Prompt: Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s a lot darker than the others, but it’s got a happy ending. I swear! Hopefully it reads well.
> 
> Warning: This contains imagery and descriptions that may be upsetting to some people. i’m not sure what to tag it with, so proceed with caution.
> 
> @freezerburn-week on tumblr I’ll be thanking y’all all week for this! Y’all’re the best!

_**Protection** _

They happened every night after the incident; the nightmares of the day that _he_ had cruelly and mercilessly taken her arm. The nightmares of her powerlessness. The nightmares of her weakness.

The nightmares of her inability to protect the people she cared about.

They would wake her suddenly, tearing her out of sleep with the violence of a frenzied animal. She would find herself bathing in her own sweat, swimming in an ocean that wished to drown her, to drag her into the depths of despair with poisonous whispers.

Some nights, she would let herself sink, wondering if there was relief waiting for her at the bottom, only to desperately claw her way to the surface as she felt herself suffocating.

She would imagine a world where she was still at Beacon, laughing with her friends –being whole again. She would dream of being who she once was –dream of being anything other than broken; a pathetic shell of Yang Xiao Long.

She hated those dreams, hated those thoughts that only reminded her of how things had once been, of how pitiable she had become, wasting away in her bed in Patch, her father acting like a mother hen as he fussed over her. She hated that she would never be _exactly_ as she used to be.

And it was only after a conversation between herself, Tai, Port, and Oobleck that she began to fight to reclaim her life. She told herself that she would be strong –that she would _regain_ her strength, both physical and mental, and go find Ruby.

And for a while, she convinced herself that she had done just that. She had a powerful new prosthetic –painted in that bright yellow color she liked– brand new clothes, her familiar aviators, but most of all, she had a new strength. She was the same powerful girl she used to be, ready to kick ass and take names.

She’d left with a smile and a wave to her father, tearing across the dirt roads on Bumblebee, feeling the wind whip through her hair in that familiar way and filling her heart with a sense of freedom that nothing else could.

Just like old times.

The first crack in her facade came at the pit-stop on her way to find her elusive mother. Though the man with the missing teeth could hardly be considered a threat, the punch she delivered to his sneer made her hand shake, and though she calmed herself with a tight grip to the appendage, she knew that it was a temporary fix, a stopgap measure for a leak that cracked her walls further with each passing day. She knew that she hadn’t fixed herself. She knew that she had done nothing more than hide her fears and trauma, shoving them into a box at the back of her mind in the hopes that they would be forgotten with time.

The second crack came when that very same man led her into an “ambush,” and it was only after she had delivered swift and painful punishment to each of them that she had to stop her hand’s quivering once more. She could feel herself weakening, could feel herself tearing apart at the seams. She knew that she was running out of time.

She knew she would break soon.

_“I missed you so much…”_

That was the third and final crack. As she cradled Weiss in her arms, she knew that anything further from her old teammate would shatter her completely. She was held together with the barest of strings, a thread worn thin from the constant strain that had unraveled it so handily.

Throughout the meeting with Raven, it was only Weiss’s hand linked firmly with her prosthetic that kept her together. She had to be strong in front of her mother, in front of Weiss. She had to look strong.

She _needed_ to be the Yang Xiao Long they thought she was.

When Raven insisted that they stay at the camp, at least for the night, she panicked. She wanted nothing more than to be anywhere but the camp of people who had tried to kill her mere hours before. She wanted to be in a place where she didn’t have to remain strong, where she didn’t have to beg and plead for her trauma and fears to remain in their box at the back of her mind, even as they pounded away at the locked door.

Still, she accepted, as she couldn’t very well leave Weiss behind, who had accepted with a healthy amount of skepticism. They couldn’t part so soon after being reunited.

As they laid down for sleep that night, their sleeping bags laid close to each other in the tiny tent at the edge of camp, Yang hoped that Weiss would be too tired from everything to notice her falling apart right beside her.

_“It’s okay to not be okay, Yang.”_

That was it. One simple sentence and she was blubbering like a baby in the arms of the smallest member of Team RWBY, who said nothing beyond whispered reassurances and comforting words. In what little time they had been together, Weiss had been able to see right through her, opening the very door she had bolted shut with ease.

The fingers that carded through her hair were too soft, the words too kind, the feelings too genuine. They dismantled her wall so quickly it was almost terrifying, but instead of wiping away the trauma she found, Weiss embraced it, coaxing it to come out of the box and let itself be known, to let itself be acknowledged.

_“It might be hard, but we will get through this. Together.”_

_Stop._

_Please stop._

_Please don’t say the very words that I had needed to hear for so long._

_Please don’t look at all the demons I had tried so hard to hide._

_“I’m right here, Yang. I always will be.”_

She wasn’t a therapist. She wasn’t a doctor. She wasn’t family. And yet, Weiss Schnee was helping her more than anyone else. She was seeing Yang for exactly what she was; a broken woman who wanted so much to be whole again, a broken woman who pretended that everything was fine.

_“You’ve been our rock for so long. This time, let me be the one to protect you.”_

It would take time, Weiss said, for her to be as mentally strong as she was physically. She wouldn’t be who she used to be, but in time, she would become stronger. She would be Yang Xiao Long again.

_“And I’ll be there for you every step of the way.”_

_“Until you are who you want to be, I’ll protect you.”_

_“And when you are the Yang Xiao Long you wish to be, I’ll still protect you.”_

_“I’ll protect you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was probably one of the most emotionally intensive things I’ve ever written, and I gotta say I’m pretty proud of it. I wanted to experiment with repetition a bit, and I think it worked out alright.


	4. Alternate Universe (AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 Prompt: Alternate Universe (AU)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m late! I knew I was gonna be late for one of these days! Even though 90% of what I write are AUs, for some reason I really struggled to come up with an AU that would be short enough for what I had the time to do. So here it is: Weiss is a Yuki-Onna (Japanese Snow Spirit) and Yang is just your (above) average lady.
> 
> Shoutout to @freezerburn-week on tumblr once again! Y’all are the best!

**_Alternate Universe (AU)_ **

Yang’s backpacking trip had been going rather well for the first couple days; no run-ins with dangerous wildlife, no getting lost, and thankfully, excellent weather. The sun had been shining, adding some much-needed warmth in the frosty December air. Truly, the first few days had been wonderful.

Yang had woken up that morning to the sound of her tent being jostled in the wind, the loud flapping sounds startling her. A quick peek out of the tent confirmed exactly what she had feared; a sudden and ferocious snowstorm had blown in overnight.

The weather on the mountain was known to be temperamental at best, lovely one minute and a raging storm the next. And certainly, its reputation had indeed proven to be true, unfortunately.

Yang quickly changed into her warmest clothes, wanting to warm herself up quickly in order to conserve her heat for later; it was easier to stay warm as the temperature dropped than to try to warm herself up after she had gotten cold.

She had the urge to pack up her things and head for the base of the mountain, but she resisted; with how much snow was already on the ground and how much continued to fall, she had no doubt she would get lost if she tried to head back in the thick of it. So she stayed.

She ate as little as she felt she could afford, wanting to both conserve food stores in the event that the blizzard lasted longer than her original hiking plans allotted, and to also eat enough so that she wouldn’t become too weak to descend when the time came.

By evening, the storm showed no signs of stopping, and she had been forced to brush snow off the top of her tent to keep it from collapsing in on itself. Briefly, she had considered moving her camp underneath a tree in the hopes of getting more protection from wind and falling snow, but there was a risk that a branch could fall or snow that dropped from them would bury her.

So she remained where she was, hoping the storm would end soon.

* * *

 

It had been a week, and the snow had yet to stop. She was running low on food, and her clothes were becoming worn from constant use without washing. She was two days past her planned return time, so she knew Ruby had called the authorities like Yang had told her to, but rescue crews wouldn’t be able to search in such a severe storm.

She was running out of time.

It was only after much consideration and weighing of risks that she decided she would have to brave the snow. There was a lot of danger in it, but she felt it would be better to take the chance that she would make it down alive rather than sit and wait for what would surely be a slow, painful death.

So, as quickly as she could, she packed up her camp and left.

The wind was fierce, its icy gale cutting right through her like a knife, chilling her to the bone. She grit her teeth and pressed forward, using the exertion of hiking through several feet of snow to keep herself warm. She had collected some snow into bags and put them inside her clothes, allowing the snow to melt so her core temperature wouldn’t drop when she drank the water.

While Yang’s internal temperature was higher than the average person, it still couldn’t compete with the full wrath of nature as the hours dragged on. She could feel herself tiring –could feel her energy being sapped away with each heavy trudge of her boots.

As the sun began to dip, her thoughts felt sluggish, as if they themselves were slogging through heavy snow. She couldn’t even tell which direction she was moving in anymore, and that worried her, but at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to care. She’d find her way back eventually, right? What was the rush? It’d be fine if she just… closed her eyes for a bit, wouldn’t it?

…

She shook herself. Thoughts like that were dangerous, and she knew that if she stopped now, she would surely freeze to death. She had to keep going, at least until she could find some shelter of some kind to pitch her tent.

She had to keep going.

If not for herself, then for Ruby.

She had to get home.

As night fell, Yang had still yet to find shelter, and she was exhausted. Her limbs felt as if they were filled with sand, her thoughts brought to a standstill. She was so tired. And so very cold.

Another step and she collapsed, her legs finally giving out after several hours of trudging through the snow. The snow bit at the exposed part of her face, burning the skin around her eyes, and yet she couldn’t help but feel just the slightest bit of relief laying in the fluffy powder.

She knew she had to keep moving, but she didn’t have the force of will –let alone strength– to get up. She could feel her consciousness begin to slip as she lay there, and with each slow blink, her lids lifted just a fraction less.

“Get up.”

Was she hallucinating? She could have sworn that she heard a voice…

“Get up. You’ll die if you don’t.”

Yang forced her eyes open, searching through the flurry of flakes for the source of the voice. Perhaps she was hallucinating, but if her hallucination was trying to keep her alive, then who was she to ignore it?

She tried to marshal her strength into her limbs, but none came as she collapsed back into the snow.

“I can’t,” Yang whispered, her voice too weak, her throat too raw from the icy winds. “I’m not strong enough.”

“So you can speak. Perhaps you aren’t too far gone then,” the voice said, a trace of… amusement(?) in the words.

“Please…” Yang rasped, reaching out towards the voice. “Please help me.”

There was a silence, and for a brief moment, Yang feared whatever was speaking had left.

“It has been a long time since I have seen a person cling so desperately to life. What is it that spurs you so?” the voice asked, amazement in its tone.

The words tumbled in Yang’s mind, the unusually formal speech bogging her comprehension. When the words were finally coherent, she answered immediately. “I have to get back to my sister.”

“I will save you, but I make no promises for your return to your kin,” the voice hissed.

Though Yang could neither see nor hear the approach, the voice was suddenly directly above her. “Sleep. I will save you.”

That was the last thing Yang heard before she blacked out.

* * *

 

Yang jolted awake, gasping for air as she bolted upright. She hacked and coughed, her lungs feeling as if they were full of blood.

Suddenly, there was a cold hand at her back, rubbing soothing circles as she rode out her fit. The hand removed itself when she had finished, handing her a cloth to wipe her mouth of spittle.

Only after doing so did Yang realize she was laying in a bed of furs, a fire roaring to her left. When she glanced to her right, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight before her.

Next to her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her hair and skin were alabaster –nearly translucent in the light of the fire– and her eyes were like icicles, shimmering as they regarded her. Aside from her rather unusual dress for the weather of a traditional Japanese kimono covered in snowflakes and dyed an ocean blue, Yang’s gaze was transfixed on a scar bisecting the woman’s left eye.

She was absolutely enchanting, and Yang couldn’t help but swallow dryly.

“So you are awake now. I had begun to wonder if you were ever going to rouse,” the woman said, a small smile tugging at her pale lips.

“Uh… yeah.” Wonderful, Yang. Stellar. An excellent response.

The pale woman laughed, and Yang couldn’t help but think of the tinkling of wind chimes. “I see your brain has yet to fully awaken.” At Yang’s flush of embarrassment, the woman raised a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles. “Forgive me. I suppose a bit of grogginess is to be expected after nearly dying.”

Right. She had collapsed in the snow and nearly died if not for… the voice! The woman’s voice was exactly like the one she had heard earlier.

“Did you save me?” she blurted, unable to contain herself.

The woman blinked, before nodding. “Indeed, I was the one to save you. If I hadn’t found you when I did, you would be a block of ice by now.”

Yang took the woman’s hands then, which were extremely chilly. “Thank you so much,” she said, looking into the woman’s eyes, surprise evident in ice-blue orbs. “I owe you my life. If there is any way I can repay the debt, just name it.”

The surprise morphed into a blank expression, any warmth suddenly disappearing into an icy void. “You spoke correctly. Your life is my payment.”

Yang stared blankly for a moment, before she laughed uneasily. “Maybe I’m still out of it. It _sounded_ like you said that my life is your payment.”

“You heard correctly,” the woman said, rising and gliding to stand at the cave mouth. “In return for saving your life, you now belong to me. Your life is mine.”

Yang stumbled to her feet, her legs still weak from her ordeal. “Look, I know I said I’d repay the debt in any way I could, but I can’t give you my life! I have to get home to my sister!”

The blank expression morphed into one of rage, and Yang could have _sworn_ the temperature dropped with the woman’s mood. “You will not be returning to your kin! You are mine now, and you will stay with me forever!”

Yang nearly shouted back, but something in the woman’s words gave her pause. Her memory was faint, but she could have sworn the woman had gotten angry when she mentioned Ruby as she was collapsed in the snow.

…

She had to get to the bottom of this; her life depended on it.

She raised her hands in a placating gesture, taking slow steps towards the seething woman. “Okay, let’s chill out now, yeah?” She nearly snickered at her joke, but she had the distinct sense that she would have been killed on the spot if she had. “Do you not like family?”

The woman’s brows furrowed. “I have no quarrel with family.”

Alright, so that wasn’t it. Scratching that from the list of possibilities left Yang with little to go off of but a hunch, a feeling that she got from the angered woman’s words.

She continued to step closer, slowly and carefully closing the distance. “Are you… lonely?”

It was like a punch to the gut. Astonishment took over her expression for a mere moment before frustration replaced it. “A yuki-onna can never be lonely,” she spat. “We are a proud species of spirit that feels nothing so pathetic as loneliness!”

A yuki-onna… Yang mentally flipped through the books on Japanese folklore she had read before traveling to the country. She remembered reading about yuki-onna, each region having a different version of the spirits in their legends. Unfortunately for her, many of them were negative, and there was a very high chance she would be killed.

Still, a particularly interesting rendition of the yuki-onna depicted them as having far more human traits such as emotions of loneliness, sadness, or on rare occasions, even joy. And judging by the vehement (and not particularly convincing) denial, she was likely dealing with the rare, lonely rendition.

She could work with that as long as she played her cards right.

“You know,” she started, keeping her cautious pace, “it’s okay to feel lonely. I bet it’s tough out here with nobody to talk to.”

The spirit scoffed, though Yang couldn’t help but notice it had little bite to it. “I have no need to socialize with humans.”

“Well what were you planning to do with me? It’ll get pretty boring if we never talk to each other.” Yang did her best to force down the grin that threatened to break out, and it was only her survival instinct warning her that one wrong move would equal death that kept her in-check.

The woman sputtered, seemingly caught off-guard by her comment. “Silence, human! I have no need to speak with you, as I am not lonely!”

Yang raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay! So you’re not lonely. What do you want then?” She grinned, though it wasn’t nearly as smug or teasing as it would be if her life was not being threatened. “Did you want a girlfriend?”

The spirit immediately flushed, much to Yang’s surprise –she wasn’t aware yuki-onna had the blood necessary to flush– sputtering as she tried to dismiss the notion. “O-Of course not! You humans are so vain! Why would I want something as unnecessary as a lover?”

Yang felt her grin widen, pressing her advantage as she continued to close the distance as discretely as possible. “I dunno. Most people agree I’m pretty attractive. There’s no shame in wanting to have me all to yourself!”

“I–You– Are all humans this unbearably _vain_?!”

She hummed, pretending to ponder the yuki-onna’s question. “Is it really vanity if it’s the truth?”

“You are _impossible_ ,” the spirit screeched, the temperature dropping further with her rapidly-souring mood.

She opened her eyes then –closed during her outburst– surprised to find Yang directly in front of her, unintentionally towering over her. And for some unfathomable reason, she gulped.

“The way I see it,” Yang said softly, all traces of teasing replaced with sympathy, “you’re really lonely, but you’re either too proud to admit it, or you have been forced to believe that you aren’t.” She grabbed the yuki-onna’s hands again, ignoring the bite of the chill. “Am I right on either of those?”

The woman bit her lip, looking away. “I–”

“It’s okay. I’m the only one who’s gonna hear,” Yang urged when the spirit broke off.

“I–” Tears sprang to the woman’s eyes, turning into ice crystals as they fell and shattered. “I’ve been alone for so long and I–” she hiccuped, “I’ve been so terribly lonely.”

Yang embraced her, humming when the woman clung to her. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

The yuki-onna sniffed, looking up at her with teary eyes. “You’ll truly stay with me?”

Yang grinned then, gently wiping away the tears with her thumb. “I’ll do you one better; why don’t you come back and live with me and my sister? You can leave the mountain, can’t you?”

“Well, yes but–”

“Then there’s no reason you gotta stay here and be miserable all by yourself!,” Yang exclaimed. “You can live with my sister and I and we can introduce you to all our friends. I’m sure our dad will love you too!”

The woman fidgeted. “Are you sure they will accept me? I am not human after all.”

“Honestly, I just thought you were a really pale lady who didn’t know how to dress for the weather until you did that snow thing,” Yang said with a sheepish grin.

The spirit fixed her with a look. “Are your friends as oblivious as you? If so, I’m sure I’ll be able to blend in with none the wiser.”

Yang barked a laugh, squeezing the smaller woman. “You’ll blend in just fine! Especially if I tell them you’re my girlfriend that I met while backpacking.”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “You would take me as your lover even though you do not know my name? Despite that I was mere seconds away from killing you?”

“You wouldn’t have actually killed me. You would’ve lost your only companion if you’d done that. They were just empty threats, weren’t they?” Yang said with a grin far more smug than it had any right to be.

The yuki-onna created a gust of wind that went right down Yang’s spine, making her yelp. “I guess that’s a ‘yes’ then.”

Yang took one of the woman’s hands in her own, keeping the other wrapped around the woman’s waist. “So, how about it? You wanna come live with me, Yuki?”

The spirit couldn’t resist an undignified snort. “My name isn’t Yuki. It’s Weiss.”

Yang rolled the name around in her head, before her brow furrowed. “What’s a Japanese spirit doing with a German name?”

“It’s a long story… One that I’m sure can be saved for our trip home.”

Yang twirled Weiss around, laughing brightly as the smaller woman vainly tried to free herself from her grasp. When she finally set the spirit down, she pressed a kiss to her icy cheek.

“Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite as happy with this one, but maybe I’m just pickier after being really proud of Day 3′s work. Anyway, check out wikipedia or other sites for more info on yuki-onna. I took some liberties and used a more modern take on them that featured more human traits than the more traditional tales. Hopefully y’all enjoyed!


	5. Sparring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 Prompt: Sparring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s short because I’m gonna be heading home for Thanksgiving break and I ran out of time. Another fine showing of my terrible time management skills lmao.
> 
> Usual deeply-appreciative shoutout to @freezerburn-week on tumblr

_**Sparring** _

“Alright, Princess. To do a straight jab, you’ve gotta extend your arm like this,” Yang murmured into Weiss’s ear, whispering the words as her lips tickled the sensitive shell.

The brawler had practically wrapped herself around Weiss as she instructed her on the finer points of CQC. After Weiss had spectacularly failed to lay so much as one good hit on her sparring partner, Yang had taken it upon herself to closely instruct the smaller girl, a hand to her waist to instruct her on the “proper twisting of her hips” as Yang had put it, while the other was stroking along her arm, showing her how to “properly extend” it.

Weiss had her suspicions that Yang wasn’t taking this even remotely seriously, but she had been taken by surprise when Yang suggested they try the punch together and it actually felt radically different from her previous punch.

“You know, I thought you were just using sparring as an excuse to flirt,” Weiss said with a raised brow, bringing her arms back into her body in a ready stance.

She could feel Yang smiling against her skin, could feel the grin in the kiss pressed just behind her ear. “Of course not. I take sparring very seriously, especially if it’s a request from _you_ ,” Yang said, the waggle of her eyebrows practically audible.

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Right, and this close proximity is just to ‘make sure I get it absolutely right,’ isn’t it.”

Yang laughed, though it was quiet given their closeness. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to teach you bad form,” she purred, trailing her fingers up from Weiss’s hip to her waist, the other hand wrapping her up and pulling her close.

The smaller girl hummed, clasping her hands over Yang’s. “Sounds to me like you’d rather practice some different forms now.”

Yang nipped at her earlobe, sending a shiver up her spine. “You noticed?”

Weiss craned her neck, just enough to reach Yang’s lips, before surprising the brawler by summoning a glyph that threw her forward, landing her on her back with a thud.

She stood over Yang, smirking down at her. “You told me earlier to try to catch my opponent off-guard. How did I do?”

Yang gaped before bursting into laughter, clutching at her sides, and Weiss couldn’t help but giggle.

When Yang wiped away her tears she leaped up, assuming a ready stance. “Oh you’ve done it now, Princess. Get ready, ‘cause we’re gonna go until you collapse from exhaustion.”

Weiss got into the ready stance Yang taught her, smirk still in place. “We’ll see about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weiss would be totally smug from actually managing to fool Yang, the master of mischief.


	6. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 Prompt: First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been on like 5 dates in my life so I was like “what do normal people even do on dates?” lmao. I went with ice skating because tis the season amirite? Plus, Weiss gets to show off so bonus.
> 
> Note: The story is set in a modern AU so no scrolls or anything like that.
> 
> Shoutout to @freezerburn-week as y’all’re a gift, a treasure.

**_First Date_ **

“Yang? Where are we going?” Weiss couldn’t help but ask as she watched trees fly by in green and white out the window of the car. Yang had surprised her by giving her an hour to get ready to go “have some wintery fun” as she had put it with a not-so-subtle snicker.

“You’ll see,” Yang said with the same sing-song voice she had been using the entire ride. The smile on the boxer’s face was infectious, and Weiss couldn’t help the small smile that split her lips.

Weiss couldn’t help but be excited; they had started dating just two days before, and this was more than likely to be their first date. Though she and Yang had known each other for years, she was jittery at the entire prospect of their new relationship. She kept her cool with a deep breath, before humming along to the radio, putting a smile on Yang’s face.

Just a few more moments and the car stopped, Yang parking it at the edge of a clearing. She quickly ran to the other side to open the door for Weiss, assisting her with an exaggerated bow that made Weiss giggle.

“Here we are,” Yang said with a sweeping gesture, revealing a frozen pond behind her. “I made sure to check it out before I asked you here, and the ice is nice and solid!”

Weiss could feel her jaw had slackened, and she hurried to close it. “How did you find this place?”

Yang seemed to puff her chest. “My family’s been ice fishing here since I was little! It’s our secret spot! I figured it would be a great place to go skating.”

Weiss giggled. “While I love the idea, I thought you didn’t like ice skating.”

Yang shrugged. “I don’t mind it, but I know _you love_ it, so I figured it was a good choice. Besides, I figured we could stick together and you could _properly_ instruct me on the important parts of skating.”

Weiss rolled her eyes at the waggle of the blonde’s brows. “I’d be happy to teach you, but we’re not getting handsy on the first date.”

Yang faked a pout before wrapping Weiss up into a hug. “You really like it?” she whispered, a touch of apprehension in her voice. “We can do something else if this isn’t the kind of first date you want.”

Weiss snaked her arms around the blonde’s waist, squeezing gently and burrowing her face into the crook of her neck. “I really _do_ like it, Yang. I think it’s a wonderful idea for a first date. So let’s have some fun, alright?”

Yang nodded, though it took her another moment before she let go, looking reassured. “Alright, let’s do some Weiss skating,” she said with a grin that looked far better on her face than worry.

Weiss groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile on her face, glad to see that just a few words were enough to soothe the blonde. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who was nervous.

She pulled on the skates Yang supplied for her and stepped out onto the ice, gliding around the pond for a few quick laps before stopping in front of Yang and helping her onto the ice.

“Alright, let’s get started.”

* * *

 

Yang had picked up on everything surprisingly quickly, having an impressive sense of balance. She’d gotten to the point where she could skate backwards, and practiced while Weiss did some more complicated jumps and spins she had done since childhood. Seeing Weiss in such a relaxed state as she pulled off jumps that made Yang’s jaw go slack, Yang felt her heart flutter, entranced by the girl’s beauty and grace.

After they had gotten some individual time to skate, they came together in the fading light to skate together, arms linked as they circled the pond. It was surprisingly intimate, and both girls could hardly keep calm at their close proximity.

It was only once the sun had set did they finally remove their skates and return home. As Yang dropped Weiss off at her door, she pressed a kiss to the other girl’s cheek, her face devoid of any bravado; only love. It had been a wonderful time for both of them, intimate and fun in a way that not many other activities could be.

They went to bed that night thinking of the other, excited for whatever their next date would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t really go into the teaching part because I can only skate a little lmao. I can go forward, so I wouldn’t even be on Yang’s level. I’m sorry for how short it is, but being at home isn’t conducive to writing. Hope y’all enjoyed it nonetheless!


	7. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 Prompt: Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda did a reunion on day 3 already so I was sitting in front of my comp for a solid 20 minutes wondering what I should do. Then my brain whispered “Weiss’s Perspective™” so yeah. This will be something of a companion to day 3, and I hope it turns out well ahaha
> 
> Shoutout to @freezerburn-week on tumblr I love y’all

_**Reunion** _

Weiss had learned to form a wall between herself and those around her –burned one too many times by the people that she called a family– and that kept her safe. The farther away she pushed people, the less worried she was that they would see exactly what she was underneath the cold exterior. She was safe inside the castle of ice she had constructed for herself.

Safe, but terribly lonely.

But that was fine.

…

Wasn’t it?

The Schnee Manor was always too cold, too unfeeling.

Too _empty_.

Sure, Klein was there, but it was no substitute for her family. Winter’s departure from the Schnee household had removed the only warmth Weiss had, but their stiff upbringing had actively discouraged familiarity; it discouraged happiness.

They were sisters in name, but practically strangers when they were together; awkward conversations felt like sandpaper against her tongue. On rare occasions, there was a hug exchanged, but they were far too infrequent and far too short to offer the comfort Weiss sought, a drop of water to quench a bottomless thirst.

Neither Winter nor Klein could replace her team, the closest thing to a real family she would likely ever get. She missed them dearly, to an extent that surprised her, to an extent that _scared_ her.

She was afraid of how much she had come to care about her old teammates, of how quickly and effortlessly they had broken down her barriers and stormed their way into her heart, more than happy to be friends with the scared, somewhat awkward girl they found there. She was afraid they would hurt her just like her family had.

After the incident with Blake early on, the team had all but stormed her ice castle, busting down door after door, begging Weiss to come out. They had found her huddled in her room with only a mirror, and slowly coaxed her to come with them, to feel what it was like to have _friends_. It left Weiss at a loss.

What was she to do with such freely offered friendship and affection? What was she to do with endless encouragement? What was she to do with acceptance of her no matter what?

What was she to do with people who _actually_ cared about her?

The months after that were pure bliss to her; she couldn’t remember a time where she’d had more fun, freely enjoying her days with people that not only she liked, but people who somehow liked her back, even after seeing the worst of her. If she could, she would go back to those days, living in the sunlight.

The Fall of Beacon was like a slap in the face, a reminder that all good things must come to an end, and a reminder that too much happiness brought misfortune.

She was whisked back to the Schnee Manor without getting a chance to say goodbye to her real family. She hadn’t gotten to check on Ruby before the girl went off on some crazy adventure in Mistral. She hadn’t gotten to stop Blake before the girl disappeared in the chaos.

She hadn’t gotten to be there for Yang when she needed somebody the most.

Leaving Yang behind was particularly painful for Weiss, the most inviting member of her team with the biggest heart. The brawler was like fire –vibrant, powerful, and warm– and she had been the first to see Weiss for who she truly was behind the carefully-yet-carelessly constructed walls her father had built himself.

Yang had been everything Weiss needed to learn about what it meant to care about someone, Weiss’s unofficial teacher in friendship and family. She had been exactly what Weiss had needed when she had needed it, and Weiss couldn’t do the same for Yang.

While she was trapped in the Schnee Manor, Weiss missed all of her teammates so much so that her heart ached, yet she thought of Yang the most, worrying over how the brawler’s recovery was progressing, worrying over whether she was getting the proper treatment she needed, worrying whether Yang felt loved in the time she needed the most reassurance.

And a tiny, selfish part of her –a part of herself that she hated for being as such– worried whether Yang missed her just as much as she did Yang.

So she trained.

And she trained.

And she trained.

When she finally escaped that hell, when she left the cage in a flurry of feathers, her mind thought of Yang, wondered whether she would be proud of how strong Weiss had become, how rebellious she had been in defying her father and leaving the Schnee Manor behind.

Of course, Weiss wanted to find the rest of her team as well, but the other members of Team RWBY hadn’t had the same impact that Yang had. Secretly, as the flight followed the setting sun, she hoped that Yang would be the first one she found.

She hoped she could repay Yang for the warmth and kindness she had given her.

Of course, getting kidnapped was _certainly_ not in the plans, but she had a plan to free herself; she had broken free from the cage before, so what was another?

And how pleasant the surprise when the tent fell away to reveal the burning blonde in all her righteous glory, the fury in her eyes only melting at the sight of Weiss locked in the cage.

How wonderful it felt to be back-to-back again, ready to take on the world together.

How wonderful it felt when Yang was angry for her, like no one else ever had been.

How wonderful it felt to throw her arms around Yang, to hold her close like Yang had deserved.

“ _I missed you so much_.”

How truly wonderful it felt to finally say what she had been thinking in their time apart.

“ _I missed you too_.”

That simple reply warmed her heart like nothing else could. Her selfish thoughts had been answered, and with the confirmation, she felt just a little less guilty.

Though there was little time to celebrate, a hug and a heartfelt exchange was enough to tide her over.

“ _It’s okay if you’re not okay_.”

She could see Yang tense at the words, but from all Yang had taught her, she knew that it ran deeper than what she could see. And yet she knew, for all the bravado and strength Yang projected, she wasn’t okay. She still had so many lingering demons, and Weiss would sooner throw herself to a pack of Beowolves than ignore Yang’s unresolved trauma.

No, she would welcome them into the open. She would encourage them to make themselves known, and subsequently be treated properly.

And while Yang was not yet whole, she would be, and Weiss would protect her until she was the Yang Xiao Long she wanted to be.

And upon their reunion, upon seeing the person who mattered most to her, Weiss felt whole again.

She was _Home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m pretty pleased with it, and I modified the end to fit more within the canon. The only thing that changed at the end is a quote, so there’s no real spoilers. I hope y’all enjoyed it overall!


	8. Bonus Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 Prompt: Bonus Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t sure what to do for today, so I decided to just write a few little unrelated snippets of adventure and other random stuff. Set in a modern AU just to keep things simple.
> 
> And a final bittersweet shoutout to @freezerburn-week on tumblr for making all of this possible. It was a blast to be a part of this and I can’t wait to do it again! Thank you guys so much!

_**Bonus Day** _

Weiss smoothed out her dress for the tenth time that evening, removing the imaginary wrinkles to distract herself from what she was about to do.

Yang returned to her side, having finished peeking behind the curtain. “It’s a full house out there. How are you feeling?”

Weiss bit her lip, looking at her shoes to avoid the gaze that she knew would see right through her. “I’m alright. I’ve sung in front of a lot of people before, so why would this be any different?”

Her chin was gently lifted by a finger, forcing her to look her girlfriend in the eye. “It’s okay to be nervous. Tonight’s an important night, so it’s pretty natural to feel jittery.” She pulled Weiss into a tight hug. “Just remember, I’ll be back here cheering you on the whole time.”

Weiss nodded, unable to help the smile that spread across her face. She took solace in the hug for only a moment before parting with a final squeeze.

“Break a leg,” Yang said with a grin, pressing a quick kiss to the smaller girl’s cheek.

Weiss smoothed out her dress one last time before taking her place center stage. She took a deep breath as the curtain rose.

_Showtime._

* * *

 

Weiss and Yang stood before the wreckage of their burning limousine, their faces and once-nice dresses caked in soot and dirt.

“This is all your fault, you know,” Weiss huffed, crossing her arms.

“How is this _my_ fault?” Yang asked, gesturing to the fiery crash.

“How _isn’t_ this your fault?! You were the one driving!”

Yang kicked at the dirt, a pout on her features. “We were running late, so I _may_ have driven a little crazier than usual, but that doesn’t mean that this is _entirely_ my fault.”

“If you hadn’t driven through the construction site like we were in a _goddamn_ James Bond film, I would be more inclined to agree with you. Now we’re going to be late for my sister’s wedding because _you_ had to take that dirt mound like a ramp out of a racing game!”

Yang could say nothing to that, so the two simply observed their handiwork in silence for a long, tense moment. Finally, Weiss heaved a sigh, drawing Yang’s attention to her exasperated smile.

“Next time, _I’m_ driving.”

* * *

 

“I didn’t know you could play the piano.”

Weiss jumped, brought out of her trance by her girlfriend’s voice. She put a hand to her chest to calm her now-erratic heartbeat. “I’ve been playing for as long as I’ve been singing. It was one of the many skills that were cultivated in order to be a ‘proper Schnee.’”

Yang winced. “I’m guessing Papa Schnee kinda ruined it for you?”

Weiss glanced out the window, features unreadable. “For a time, he did. Recently though, I decided to give it another shot.”

“What brought that on?”

“You.” At Yang’s stunned expression she continued with a smile. “The thought that hearing me play could possibly make you smile was enough for me to try playing again.”

She was surprised when Yang wrapped her up in a tight hug, the blonde burying her face into Weiss’s neck. “You know you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to, right? Even if it could make me happy, I don’t want you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

She laid a hand on Yang’s head, gently carding through the soft locks. “I know that, but I _want_ to do this. I want to be able to play for you and make you smile.”

Yang caressed her cheek, turning her head just enough for them to make full eye contact. “As long as you’re good with it, I am too.”

Then with a grin, “So what kind of music do you got?”

* * *

 

“Yang? Can you put the glasses on the table? Dinner’s almost ready.”

It wasn’t often Weiss cooked, Yang being the more culinarily gifted among the two, so she was rather excited when the smaller girl asked to try making dinner that night.

She grabbed the glasses, using the opportunity to sneak a quick peek into the kitchen before she was shooed away with a warning glare. It looked like some sort of pasta was on the menu that evening, and she could feel her mouth watering at the thought. (Of course, the scent of garlic bread was also a factor).

She was glad to see Weiss had become more comfortable in the kitchen after moving in with her three months earlier, obviously still unused to the idea that everything that was Yang’s was now hers as well. After a cautious first couple of weeks, she had managed to reassure her snowy-haired girlfriend that she truly wanted her small apartment to be Weiss’s apartment as well, and since then their relationship had only strengthened.

As she sat down in her place, she smiled at the sight of Weiss carrying two plates piled high with pasta, the loaf of garlic bread tucked under one arm. It took only one more trip to the kitchen for Weiss to bring back a bottle of wine and a lighter for the candles.

“Happy anniversary, Princess.”

* * *

 

Rain pattered against the window as some movie played on TV; Weiss had zoned out not long after the start. She was far too content and warm wrapped up in blankets and curled up against Yang’s torso to care about whatever plight the protagonist was going through.

She heard Yang yawn behind her, before she felt strong arms curl tighter around her. “You know, I love days like this,” Yang said, resting her chin on Weiss’s shoulder.

“Why’s that?”

“I get to be all cozy with you. I get to keep you all to myself, and it feels like there’s nothing else in the world besides the two of us. I love just being with you, even if we’re not doing anything.”

Weiss could feel her heart warm as she turned her head to press a kiss to her girlfriend’s lips. “I love days like this too. I love being able to be close to you, and it makes me feel safe when I’m wrapped up in your arms. I feel loved when I’m with you.”

Yang smiled, pulling her into another kiss. “I love you, Weiss.”

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not super confident with domestic stuff, but it was fun to write nonetheless. I really enjoyed writing for Freezerburn Week, and I definitely plan on participating next year! Thanks so much for reading, y’all!

**Author's Note:**

> This was longer than I expected but whatever lmao. I’m happy with it.


End file.
